The use of fabric filters has grown significantly as environmental standards for particulate emissions have become more stringent. Fabric filters are used because they are highly efficient, easily operated and in many cases the least expensive method of control. Selection of the type of fabric filter equipment is usually governed by the nature of the particulate to be collected, i.e., reverse air or shaker units for fumes and submicron particles and jet pulse units for coarse, non-tacky dusts.
Several factors should be considered when deciding upon the type baghouse fabric to be used. Included are: (1) operating temperature (2) abrasion resistance (3) filtering performance and (4) chemical resistance. Filtering performance is determined by the complex interaction of fiber and fabric structure with the dust to be collected.
It is apparent that the selection of filter bag fabric is of extreme importance since one fabric may last much longer than other fabrics in the same environment.